THE NAME OF GOD

"Who hath ascended up into heaven or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?" (Proverbs 30:4)

I found on the Web site for Stewarton Bible School in Scotland a page that says what I want to say about the name of God better than I could myself. Reprinted below are the pertinent parts from their page.

The Sacred Names

El Shaddai / Yahweh / Yahuweh

EL SHADDAI is the name of the Almighty Father. Yahweh is the divine family name. The title 'Lord' is the English translation of the Hebrew word Adon or Adonai meaning Master. The name Yahweh may be used of the Father and the Son who came in the Father's name; just as my name 'Loughran' can be used of myself and my son Kurt. We in Stewarton use the name Yahweh with particular reference to the Father. The name Yahweh and its various suffixes is used throughout the Hebrew Old Testament. In some instances we take it to mean the Father's Agent, the one who was later born as a human being in Bethlehem and died for the sins of the world on mount Calvary.

Examples are:

Genesis 22:14 Yahweh-Jereh: God will provide

Exodus 15:26 Yahweh-Ropheka: My God that healeth me

Exodus 17:15 Yahweh-Nissi: Yahweh is my banner

Exodus 31:13 Yaweh-McKaddishken: Yahweh sanctifies me

Judges 6:24 Yahweh-Shalom: My God sends peace

1 Samuel 1:3 Yahweh-Sabaoth: The Lord of Hosts

Jeremiah 23:6 Yahweh-Zedkenu: God our righteousness

Psalm 7:17 Yahweh-Elyon: Yahweh is Most High

Ezekiel 48:35 Yahweh-Shammah: Yahweh is there

Psalm 23:1 Yahweh-Roi: Yahweh is my Shepherd

The name Yahweh, being far more than a particular sound or pronunciation, encompasses all these. It stands for the Almighty's character, His law, His motives and His work. Currently there is much dispute on the subject of the sacred names; but we have no desire to enter the argument. Instead I would recommend you write for the booklet entitled A Reply To A Yahwist to: The Church of God Publishing House, 302 E. Gruber Avenue, Meridian, IDAHO 83642 USA. The booklet presents several facts about Hebrew and Greek which are not known to the average believer. The booklet is worth reading.

Jesus / Y'shua / Yeshua / Yashua

Jesus is the Greek rendering of the Hebrew name Y'shua, spelled variously as Yeshua, Yashua, Yahoshua or Joshua. In many of our writings we use the commonly known Greek form Jesus so that people will know of whom we are writing; because the name Y'shua is not generally known amongst English-speaking believers. But you will also notice that we often use the original Hebrew form Yeshua or Yashua. This name means 'the salvation of Yahweh.' In other words 'Yeshua or Yahshua is Yahweh's agent or means of salvation.' He is 'Yahweh in His role as Saviour.' The gospel of Matthew says "you shall call his name Y'shua, for he shall save his people from their sins."

(Matthew 1:21) One could argue at length on pronunciations and spellings of the sacred names; but we leave that to others. Each person will need to decide for himself. After all, very few believers are fluent in Hebrew.

Emmanuel

The Saviour's name is also Emmanuel, which means 'God (Yahweh) is with us:'

Matthew 1:23

"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they

shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

We often use the name Emmanuel. Indeed the words 'Yahweh is with us' appears on the Stewarton Bible School seal. We also use the title Christ: which means the anointed one. When we use the name Jesus, or the Hebrew 'Yeshua' or 'Yashua,' we mean the Messiah, the only begotten son.

God / El

There are several Hebrew words translated 'God' in our English Bibles. They are:

El: mighty one, God

Elah: an object of worship, God

Elohim: an object of worship, God

Eloah: an object of worship, God

The word translated Lord: Adon: Lord, Sir, Master

Adonai: My Lords

The Elohim (God) of the Old Testament is, in fact, 'Christ the Saviour' known variously as the I AM, the Eternal, the Almighty, the Holy One of Israel, Emmanuel, the Logos, the Word of God or simply, The Master.

Pronunciations

A name is a noun, a word or short phrase by which a person, place or thing is known. Common nouns (i.e. man, sport, animal etc) are used for a whole class or group of things. Proper nouns (i.e. Loughran, Scotland, Africa) are names of particular persons and places. Some proper nouns have meanings; many do not. My name, 'Loughran' for example, has no special meaning; though to me it represents my character, my family, my reputation and my word of honour. But the noun 'Loughran,' to my knowledge, does not have any particular meaning. A proper name is normally pronounced the same in every language. But people from different nations may mispronounce my name depending on how they voice the letters "L-O-U-G-H-R-A-N." But I realise this fact. It does not disturb me. I know who they mean: though I often smile when I hear my name mispronounced by others - especially foreigners.

It is the same when pronouncing the name Yahweh or Y'shua. I doubt if Gentile believers, even to this day, have the pronunciation absolutely correct; though some make out that they have. Some authorities claim that no one can be certain they have the correct pronunciation. I am, however, certain that the Most High and His Son know who we mean when we pronounce or mispronounce their names.

YHWH

Notice how I have omitted the vowels 'a' and 'e.' In the Hebrew language the Almighty's name is written in consonants. Consonants are letters of the alphabet other than vowels. To help readers who would be unable to pronounce the four consonants YHWH (called the tetragrammaton) the vowels 'a' and 'e' are inserted to help us pronounce the name. But the inspired writers just used 'YHWH,' or rather the Hebrew equivalents of those letters. The English letters YHWH are a transliteration or representation of the original Hebrew characters. But how does one pronounce the tetragrammaton YHWH? As mentioned above, even blood-born Hebrew authorities differ on this matter of pronunciation. In view of this fact I think we Gentiles should remain silent; for the more we write the more ignorant we may appear to Hebrew-speaking people. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.

Is it Sin?

And this brings me to an extremely important question: "Is it a sin to use the title and name LORD JESUS?"

Some groups impliedly teach that it is. They never use these words in their writings. They teach that if you have a Bible which uses words like Lord or Jesus, then change it; because, they maintain, the word 'Lord' is a pagan title and 'Jesus' is the name of a Greek god. Even the word 'God', they claim, is the name of a pagan deity. It is therefore a sin (they think) to call the Most High - Lord God, or the Saviour - Jesus. This message comes across strongly when reading their writings. Is that line of reasoning correct? Did the Most High who inspired the mighty reformation several centuries ago on the strength of the Holy Bible, somehow allow His own Name and the name of His Son to be so corrupted that to read or speak it 350 years later would amount to sin? I do not think so; but the fact is that many readers of the Sacred Name groups' literature are now writing to the Stewarton Bible School requesting Holy Name Bibles. Doubtless these believers feel that the Scriptures they possess are somewhat inferior, 'spiritually tainted' so to speak, and unfit to study. So they want to dispose of their Bibles and obtain Sacred Name Bibles. Nor do they wholeheartedly join in singing the hymns which contain the name of Jesus; because even their hymn books, they assume, are tainted. To tell you frankly, I am aghast at such reasoning. Its effect could spell spiritual disaster for many congregations. And so I draft this article to explain why Stewarton Bible School, who know and use the sacred names, also use the words Lord, God and Jesus. I will briefly list our three reasons.

1. Millions of Bibles

You will agree that there are literally millions of Bibles in the world, printed in every language known to man. I would say that most of the English versions use the word God and the name Jesus. Are these Bibles now unfit for use? And if they are, how can we hope to replace the millions of Bibles being prayerfully studied all over the earth? And how can we do so great a work before Messiah returns? What hope do the Sacred Name groups have of translating, printing and distributing to the world a version of the Bible which they think is correct; especially in view of the fact that even amongst the name groups there are many different pronunciations of the names?

The answer is - none whatsoever. The name groups do not have the Hebrew-speaking scholars, the finance or the time to do that kind of a work. Indeed, no denomination on the face of this earth is equipped to replace the millions of Bibles in use today. The Holy Bible, no matter what translation, is an invaluable publication. Casting doubt upon its integrity is not the work of the Holy Spirit.

2. Answered Prayer

The second reason is answered prayer. The Most High has answered - and still is answering millions of believer's prayers even as they call Him - Lord God. If He answers to these words and His Son answers to the name Jesus, who are we to judge? Go into any church and talk to any true believer and you will be given ample evidence that the Most High and His Son have answered their prayers - over and over again - after being addressed as Lord, God or Jesus. Read any book on the great Protestant reformation and you will see this fact concerning answered prayer being repeated over and over again. Study any Christian book on Prayer and you will read of many, many examples of where the Most High has answered to the title and name of Lord. Oh yes, answered prayer is an extremely powerful argument. Dare we ignore it?

3. Bible Prophecy

Our third reason comes from the Bible itself; from a logical analysis of a text in the Master's Olivet prophecy. In Matthew 24:5 the Saviour says this:  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." The Saviour didn't mean 'many will come in the name of Yashua and deceive many. Comparatively few believers know the Saviour's Hebrew name; and fewer still cast out devils in that name. The vast majority of Christians - especially those who preach deception - use the name JESUS. And it is that name - yes the name 'Jesus,' the name so many groups use when casting out devils - that the Master calls "my name." In other words the Saviour admits to the name 'Jesus' being his name! Consider yet another passage. When the Messiah returns to this earth he is going to rebuke many who have done wonderful works in his name!

Matthew 7:21-23 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the

kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

 Again we ask: Who are the prophets who do such wonderful things in the Messiah's Name? Most certainly they are not the Sacred Name leaders. The wonder-working exorcists who will one day use these arguments are to be found in the Charismatic groups who specialise in doing mighty miracles. Notice that they do their wonderful works in the Messiah's Name; the name the Master calls 'my name.' (Matthew 24:5)

That brings us to the important question. What is the name that these miracle workers use when doing their mighty works; the name the Master called 'my name? I can tell you it isn't Y'shua, Yeshua, Yahshua or Yahoshua. Then what is the name these charismatic miracle-workers use? The answer is the name Jesus. Yes, it is the name Jesus that they use: and that name (Jesus) is the name the Saviour calls 'my name.'

So here we have two prophecies about the sacred name. In the first the Saviour actually refers to it as 'my name.' And in the second these deceived miracle-workers when addressing the Saviour they refer to the name Jesus as 'your name;' The Master, please note, didn't say "Wait a minute, you got my name wrong!" When we examine the evidence, the 20th century fulfilment, we find that the Master could only have been referring to the name "Jesus." No other conclusion is possible.

And there you have our viewpoint. Stewarton Bible School uses the sacred names Yahweh, Yeshua, Yahshua etc. We have done so for many years in order to get through to millions of English-speaking people who know of no other names but the ones which appear in their own Bibles. Our writings testify to this fact. After all, if there is opportunity to use the true name, why not do so? Having said that, however, we do not agree that the use of Lord, God or Jesus are sinful or even unacceptable to the Most High and His Son. I summarise our three reasons below:

1.That millions of inspired and irreplaceable Bibles use the words Lord, God and Jesus;

2.That the Almighty Father and His Son still answer prayer when called Lord, God or Jesus;

3.And that in Bible prophecy the Master refers to the popular name Jesus as 'my name.